Clearing the Air
by Maeve Morgan
Summary: Toph tries to get Katara to see what she's doing to Aang. Set during the Lost Adventures comic, Love is a Battlefield. Or what was going on in the Western Air Temple while Sokka and Zuko were in The Boiling Rock. Kataang.


**Disclaimer:** Avatar: The Last Airbender, its characters and universe belong to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko and Nickelodeon. I'm only a fan, writing this for love of this TV show and personal pleasure.

Summary: Toph tries to get Katara to see what she's doing to Aang. Set during the Lost Adventures comic, Love is a Battlefield. Or what was going on in the Western Air Temple while Sokka and Zuko were in The Boiling Rock.

A.N.: So I wanted to write someone trying to talk some sense into Katara after her little scene with Aang in the Lost Adventures comic at the Western Air Temple, "Love is a Battlefield", and who better to be blunt and to the point than Toph? For those who haven't read that, basically Aang thinks Katara wants to talk about the kiss before the invasion, but she's only interested in getting him to practice firebending and avoids the topic of the two of them at all costs, so he hides himself into a pile of rocks until she goads him into showing her some fire power.

* * *

 **Clearing the Air**

The pile shook and trembled, dark rock suddenly turning red and incandescent with fire. Katara gasped and shielded herself with a layer of water as the impending explosion suddenly rained down on her like a miniature volcano shooting down fire, burning rock and lava. Aang emerged from within the pile, his grey eyes seeming to burn with a fire of his own, but one look at her and his concentrated look melted into one of concern.

"Oh no! Katara!" He exclaimed as he approached her with light steps, guilt already twisting up inside of him. Why, oh why had he been careless with fire around Katara yet again? "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you… Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Aang," she turned to him with a reassuring smile. "And that 'volcano' move was impressive. Come on, let's practice it again so you can show Zuko later."

The Airbender sighed in relief, but as Katara turned back to the topic of firebending he frowned down at her as he remembered why he was mad at her. As it was clearly obvious she had no interest in talking to him and she only wanted him to practice firebending, he turned around and started walking away to avoid getting into a pointless argument with her.

"Where are you going?" Katara asked in confusion, coming back up to her feet. "Are you… scared of burning me again?"

"Actually," Aang replied, still with his back to her as his foot quickly cleared out some drawings on the ground, "I'm more worried about _being_ the one who gets burned," he murmured quietly, mostly to himself.

Katara called out to him, but before she could do anything about it Aang had already took off at a run, grabbing his glider that was propped against one of the pillars on his way and in instants he was soaring through the airs surrounding the Western Air Temple. The Water Tribe girl watched him go with a frown that was half concern, half consternation as she sighed quietly to herself.

"You know, you really should clear the air with him," Toph said suddenly, her tone conversational as she leaned against a wall in the back hallway, her arms crossed firmly over her chest.

"Toph," Katara gasped in surprise, turning around to face the other girl. "I didn't see you there."

"No kidding. You were too busy digging yourself into a hole," the younger girl bared her teeth into a grin. "It was funny and kind of embarrassing to witness at same time."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Katara continued to frown, pink coloring her cheeks a little and as soon as she said those words she wondered why she even bothered trying to fool the Earthbender prodigy.

"Sure, you do," Toph replied easily, pushing off the wall and coming closer to her. "Aang has tried to talk to you about your little kiss before the invasion and you've managed to deflect it and alienate him all at the same time. Good job, Katara!" She finished with extra sarcasm in her voice, as she punched the other girl lightly on the arm.

"Ugh so you know about that?" Katara groaned in response, one of her hands going up to pinch the bridge of her nose in an exasperated gesture.

"Of course, I know about that," Toph replied, her tone indicating that if she knew how she would be rolling her eyes. "Did you forget who you're talking to? I may not have seeing eyes like the rest of you, but I pick up on a lot of stuff. Sometimes I think I even see things more clearly than any of you."

"Toph, I really don't want to get into this right now," Katara said, going back into defensive mode, as she crossed her arms protectively around herself. "Sokka and Zuko are off who knows where doing who knows what; I just wanted everyone to keep focused on what we have to do here. Aang needs to practice firebending and prepare to face the Fire Lord."

"He knows that, but what you're doing to him may be causing more harm than you think," the younger girl said, also crossing her arms.

"I'm not doing anything," Katara shook her head slightly.

"Exactly. You're just hoping things would carry on as they were before, and on the surface level it may seem like they have, but that's not true," Toph insisted on the matter, one of her hands going to her hip as the other she used to gesture at the other girl. "Things are _not_ the same. He knows it and you know it. You're just avoiding it because you don't want to deal with it, but in the end you're not the one getting hurt here."

"You have _no idea_ what you're talking about," Katara shook her head once more, her voice quieter yet her tone darkening considerably.

"I do," Toph countered easily. "I can feel him. This is _killing_ him."

"No, it's _not_ ," Katara retorted heatedly and before she could stop herself, she practically exploded, not unlike a volcano. "Don't you _dare_ use that word like that, like you don't know what it _means_. I was there when he was actually killed! I was there when I just barely managed to get his heart beating again! I was the one making sure he was hanging on, mending his flesh and healing his body, tethering his spirit to the physical world and keeping him alive every day until he finally woke up! And you know what's actually capable of killing him again?! Fire Lord Ozai!"

Her words reverberated around the stone walls of the temple for a moment and Katara felt somewhat embarrassed at her outburst and she fought to keep the sudden tears that were swimming in her eyes from spilling over.

"Wow," Toph said after a moment, crossing her arms a bit uneasily. "I had no idea you were keeping all of that inside."

"I guess you're not so great at reading people after all," Katara commented, sniffling slightly as she pressed the palms of her hands against her stinging eyes.

"I never said people," Toph felt the need to clarify. "I was talking about Aang, because he wears his heart on his sleeve, it's so easy to read him. You, on the other hand…" She trailed off, frowning a little in concern at the older girl.

"Toph, would you just…" Katara sighed in reply, suddenly feeling very tired. "Please just leave me alone…"

"Look, I didn't come here to pick a fight with you over this," Toph said in a conciliatory tone, holding her hands up in a peaceful gesture. "I understand this is difficult for you. It's difficult for all of us. I just wanted to tell you what I think and that maybe, _maybe_ there is another way to do this, you know? A more mature way, using actual words and not just letting him hanging there, wondering about you and being distracted from what he should be focusing on, which is practicing to face the Fire Lord."

"I can't," the Waterbender said, her voice growing anguished. "I'm not doing this to be cruel, I can't talk to him about this because I don't know what to say. I don't know how I feel about all of this."

"Really? It seems pretty obvious to me," Toph muttered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Katara levelled a glare at her and for a moment she considered arguing the matter further. She got that someone looking at the situation objectively might be able to come to a quicker and easier resolution, but that was not the case for her, as she was in the middle of it all. "Look, I get what you're saying and I'll take it into consideration," she said at last, her voice going back to her usual softer tones. "But for now, would you please just see if you can get Aang to practice some firebending?"

Toph considered her for a moment, her head tilted slightly to one side, regarding her with her other senses as she didn't have her sight. "Sure thing, Sweetness," she said at last, the nickname rolling easily off her tongue as she cracked her knuckles and started walking towards the front of the temple. "Let's see if Twinkle Toes can handle some smashing around."

"Thanks, Toph," Katara said, a grateful smile lighting up in her face.

"Don't mention it," Toph said easily over her shoulder. "And you know, you can talk to me anytime you need, about anything."

She didn't wait for the other girl's reply as she just kept walking, already feeling with her seismic perception where Aang had landed back on the other side of the temple. Katara felt her smile growing bigger and she was glad she had friends with her to help her deal with all of this, and that she wasn't doing this alone.


End file.
